Providence
by AzzyJ94
Summary: Dean and Cas have settled into a relatively normal life but now they are targets to a very different kind of monster and they have to let a new kind of hunter help keep them and their family safe.
1. Prologue

,

After Sam died, Dean took his baby brother's advice. He went out and found Lisa, and Ben. When she opened the door he could barely hold back the tears when she smiled at him, completely unaffected by the earth shattering sense of loss that had gripped Dean's heart, and he fell for her.

They spent the months after that piecing together a life they could share, but what surprised Dean the most was Ben. Immediately after Dean moved in with them, even before he and Lisa where sharing a room, Ben accepted Dean's presence as if he'd been waiting on the man to come home and, really, it _was_ home. He, Lisa, and Ben were a family and he was happy with that. Then, only ten months after Dean lost Sam, his world was crushed under fate's big toe.

He got the call at six fifteen on a Saturday. Lisa was running late coming home from the grocery store, and Dean was about ready to call her and check in when his phone rang. It was the hospital. Lisa had been hit in a head on collision. Dean had grabbed Ben and rushed to the hospital.

The two of them had sat in the surgery waiting room for nearly six hours. Lisa's sister, Kim showed up about halfway through, so when the nurse came out in her bright pink scrubs, the surgical mask hanging down from her neck, Kim went to greet her while Dean pulled an eleven-year-old Ben (who'd been curled in the man's lap for hours), closer to him. The small-ish woman gave Kim a grim look and shook her head. Lisa was gone.

The days immediately following Lisa's death are still a blur to Dean. He remembers Ben, crawling in bed with him every single night. He remembers everyone telling him how sorry he was, and asking how he was handling it. He also remembers that he didn't speak, not once, until Kim approached him, and asked if he thought maybe Ben would be better off living with her.

Dean had found his voice, and he'd shouted himself hoarse. Kim had backed off and signed the papers. That's when Dean realized he hadn't been to work in nearly a month, and Ben's school attendance was less than stellar. Dean was drowning in his own grief, just like his dad had done, and Dean was _not_ going to turn into his father, so, he packed them up and moved in with Bobby.

At first, it wasn't the most comfortable set up. Bobby and Ben got along great, but Dean wasn't exactly sure how much of the supernatural he wanted Ben to be aware of. Eventually, they sat Ben down and told him everything, and they moved on.

Again, just when Dean's life was settling into some semblance of normal, everything was turned upside down, again. Two days after Ben's twelfth birthday, Castiel showed up at Singer's auto salvage half carrying, half dragging the limp form of a teenage boy with him. It didn't take long for everyone to realize that the teen in question was none other than Sammy Winchester. The kid didn't look a day over fourteen.

Cas had to explain, on pains of death, that he'd been working on recreating Sam. He'd rescued Sam's soul with Death's help, but he'd had to completely recreate the boy's body and given the war that had been raging in the heavens, Cas had needed a good bit of time to complete the task. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to finish the task because he'd been booted from heaven after his brothers fled. Some of his powers remained, Cas assumed his grace lingered within Jimmy's body, but essentially he was human.

Sam's soul had carried all of his memories but everything beyond fourteen, was like watching a movie of somebody else's life. The boy healed up, and his mind seemed to stay intact. Cas and Sam moved in. They enrolled Sam in school and Cas was able to work his lingering mojo into clearing up a few things with Dean and Sam, and making things legal. He gave himself a degree in theology and began giving an occasional guest lecture at the local community colleges, but most of the time, he stayed home with Sam and Ben.

So, Dean, as the sole breadwinner of the family (He'd opened his own garage at the other side of town), found himself away from home more and more often. So, he and Cas became a team, planning their lives, meals, activities, bills, house repairs, and all the little details of day to day life and, more and more, Dean found himself enjoying his time with Cas, until he discovered that was the part of his day he looked forward to the most. Eating dinner with Cas, and staying up late talking became his favorite moments of every day.

Dean didn't fall in love with Cas the same way he fell in love with Lisa. It was slow and steady. He didn't just want to spend time with the other man, he just couldn't imagine his life away from him. Finally, after months, Dean told Cas how he felt and Cas shocked everyone by leaning in and planting the longest and most passionate kiss Dean had ever experienced on him and said, in a seamless imitation of Dean, "It's about damn time you admitted it."

Shortly after that, Dean, Cas, Sam and Ben moved into their own place closer to town, and Bobby became the eccentric grandfather to their strange little family. Then, Dean and Cas ended up adopting a wonderful little boy and his older sister, Jake and Katy, after their parents were killed by a poltergeist. Life settled.

Cas was a stay-at-home dad and he discovered a love for reading constantly immersing himself in a world of humanity and the like and loving every second of it.

Dean ran his garage (thanks to a little angel mojo by the best husband ever invented that got rid of his criminal record) and had four employees. He and two of the men under him went out for beers every other Tuesday.

Sammy was reliving high school including but not limited to honor roll, soccer, and a best friend named Tammy.

Ben played football on the JV team and had all the girls fawning over him. He got in more trouble than he knew how to get out of but at least he got it honestly.

Katie was a bright little girl who loved to read and sing. She was the only girl probably more spoiled than she would have been otherwise.

Jake was the youngest and he loved every second of it. He idolized his big brothers and his Daddy and Poppa (Names coined by Ben when Dean and Cas told him and Sam they were 'together' together) were just about the best thing ever in his not so biased opinion.

Domestic Life suited the Winchesters well, very well…

Until something came in and screwed it all up


	2. Chapter 1

Beautiful Loser blared from the alarm clock and Den heard Cas groan next to him. A ghost of a smirk flitted across his face as he shut it off before rolling into the other man. His arms wrapped around Cas as he laid gentle kisses along his neck stopping just below his ear.

"Time to get up." He whispered. Cas simply groaned and snuggled closer to his husband. Dean chuckled lightly. You have a lecture today." The only response was a deep throated growl and Cas rolling over into his chest.

"Why do we work again?" Cas murmured into the crook of Dean's neck.

"The neighbors might get suspicious if we never left our beds and still managed to keep the lights on."

"I'm okay with letting them wonder." Cas replied while his fingers threaded through Dean's .

Before Dean could reply, the door burst open to reveal a nine-year-old blond girl and a five-year-old boy who promptly launched themselves into the bed.

"Daddy! I've got school!" The boy yipped as he bounced next to his sister.

"You've been spending too much time with Sammy, Jake." Dean chuckled and Cas gently slapped at him.

"He's entitled to his excitement." Cas said as Dean pulled himself into la sitting position.

"Poppa's right, Daddy. School is fun and Kindergarten is the best! We used finger paints and took naps and played games."

"Really? Games and naps and finger painting?" Dean asked with what he was sure was a very dopey grin on his face.

Dean looked over to find Cas still very much horizontal. He pulled Jake an Katie close to whisper to them while gesturing wildly at his lazing husband.

Cas narrowed his eyes at them but didn't have time for anything else before two small forms were jumping on him.

"Wake up, Poppa! Wake up! They yelled together. Dean chuckled as he slipped out of bed. He passed Ben's door first, and he knocked. When no answer was forthcoming, he opened the door to find his fifteen-year-old still fast asleep. A mischievous grin fell on his face as he approached the bed. "Ben," Dan whispered. There was no response and the grin turned into a full blown smile as he reached over and yanked the covers off his son. Ben squeaked and lunged after them.

"Why, Dad? Just, why?" He moaned dramatically. Dean was laughing by this point.

"Because, Ben, you've gotta get a shower and if I didn't wake you up first, you'd complain about not having any hot water."

"Not my fault Sammy's a shower hot." Ben grumbled as he shook his head back and forth in an attempt to wake up.

"Just get up . Breakfast in twenty, alright?"

"Yeah, thanks.: Dean left to head towards Sam's room. It was really awkward when Cas had first shown up with him. The last time he'd seen his brother, he'd been a thirty year-old-man with muscles and stubble. Then, his baby showed up on his doorstep no more than fourteen and Dean didn't know what the hell to do. He still thought like an adult half the time, but the rest of the time he was very much the rebellious teenager Dean remembered. They'd butted heads some in the beginning, but Bobby had been a huge help, and, surprisingly Cas was the biggest help with his calm words and logical arguments; they undid the kid every single time.

That was little over three years ago and now Dean's baby brother had become his son more so even than when they were kids and Dean had taken care of them.

So, Dean went into his oldest's room to find him on his laptop typing furiously. "It's the first day of school. What the hell are you working on, already?"

Sam's head shot up. "I'm messaging a friend." He replied looking slightly confused.

"Right, well, breakfast in twenty. Ben's in the shower but you're up next."

" M'kay." Sam's attention was already back on the screen in front of him.

"You need to be at the table when we are even if you don't have to be at school as early. Geekboy with college classes and off periods," the last was muttered as Dean left. Dean shuffled down the stairs to the kitchen and began pulling things out for breakfast.

He'd just put a third perfect circle onto the griddle when he heard little footsteps on the stairs as his youngest two came barreling into the entryway. A moment later, he felt long arms wrap around his waist."

"Good morning," Cas whispered into his ear, warm breath tickling the fine hairs on the back of his neck.

"Morning," Dean replied as he flipped yet another pancake onto the ever growing stack.

"What are your plans for today?" Cas asked as hi lips traced down along Dean's neck.

"I'm gonna open up the shop around eleven. Charlie'll be there by eleven thirty. Couple repairs and whatever walk-ins we get. What about you?"

"I'm taking Jake and Katie to school, then I'll come back and get ready for my lecture about nine-thirty"

"So, we'll have almost an hour to ourselves?" Dean asked with a quirk of his brow as he turned around in his husband's arms. Their heads fell together and Dean was content to stay just like that for the rest of forever. Cas leaned in toward him, their lips barely brushing before Sam's voice interrupted them.

"Geez, guys. Get a 5room, would you?" Dean lifted his head and shot his little brother a dirty look.

"This _is_ our room the whole damn house is ours." Sam made a face but grabbed a plate of pancakes and dropped the subject.

"I've got cross-country 'til four." He informed them as Ben came into the room with Jake directly on his heels and Katie just around the corner.

"But football doesn't even start 'til four thirty." Dean complained. "How am I supposed to get there?"

"Cas'll be off in time to pick you up and one of us will take you to practice tonight." Ben could only manage a nod because his mouth was full of pancakes and bacon.

The ride to the shop was uneventful. There was only the sound of his baby and good music to fill the silence. Dean went to let himself in the side door and felt himself tense when he noticed the alarm had already been disabled. He hadn't carried a gun on him a while (not since he saved the world). He hadn't needed to, really, and he doubted that the kids' schools would have approved of a nine mill tucked under his shirt. So, he pulled the knife out of his boot and headed into the shop feeling highly unprepared.

Three steps in and he the tell-tale sounds of something moving in shallow water caught his attention. He spun around the dimly-lit room to find Charlie, lying in a pool of water and blood attempting to roll over. Dean was at his side immediately.

"Charlie?" Dean asked, checking the older man's wrist for a pulse. He found it, but it was weak. "Charlie? Hey, man, can you hear me?"

Charlie released a weak gargle and Dean tried to understand but he couldn't make out the words \. Charlie's eyes rolled back in his head and Dean felt the older man's heart stutter and still beneath his fingertips.

"Damnit!" Dean growled as he pulled out his cell to call the cops. That's when he noticed it. Tacked to Charlie's shirt was a sticky note covered in blood. Written on it: Guilty by Association


	3. Chapter 2

Aaron awoke with a heavy yet comfortingly familiar weight on his chest. He blinked up to find Jack sitting on him, waiting patiently for his father to transition into consciousness. His weekend was just starting and he planned to make the most of it.

"Good morning, Daddy!" Jack announced, grinning cheerfully.

"Morning, Buddy. What are you doing up so early?"

"I'm hungry."

A line appeared between Aaron's brows as he feigned confusion. "Hungry?" Jack nodded and in one swift movement, Aaron had flipped the boy off his chest and was tickling him while he laughed. "Who's hungry and what have you done with Jack?"

"DADDY," came the delighted sounds.

"Jack? Is that you?"

"Yes, Daddy, it's me!" Jack practically squealed in delight.

"Oh, in that case," Aaron said as he stopped his assault.

"Can we eat now, daddy?"

"How does French toast sound?"

"I love French toast."

"Good choice then."

Fifteen minutes later found Jack sitting at a bar stool in the kitchen watching as his dad dipped the first piece of bread into the egg mixture and laid it in the pan. His phone rang. When he picked it up, 'Strauss' came into view. Aaron barely contained a pained sigh. His weekend was over before it could really start.

Once the team had gathered around the table, Garcia stood before them to preset yet another gruesome case.

"Right, kiddies, we have one sick puppy on our hands. We've got a total of twenty-two victims spreading from to Georgia to Iowa since 2009.

"On November second, Lidia Anderson, 62, was shot execution style in her home, a sticky note actually tacked into her forehead with the word Guilty By association.

Two days later, a local teacher, Robert Train, 30, was found murdered in his home with the same single gunshot wound to the back of the head. Sticky note tacked into the skin of the forehead.

Two days after that, Lily Schulls, 28, and her partner Dana Anderson, 25 (Daughter of our first vic), were found beaten and tortured inside their home. Their eight year old son, Ruban, was found a few hours later. He was dropped off at a local Catholic church; St. William's to be exact. Father Michaels, said the boy was left on the doorstep bound and gagged with a sticky note pinned to his shirt and a red orchid on the ground nearby."

"God has spoken?" Morgan asked incredulously from his side of the room looking intently at the picture of the sticky note.

"Apparently, he talks to a lot of people. There have been five other cases so far one a year on the same dates, November second through the fifth, and we think we know who the unsub's next target is." Hotch responded.

Garcia clicked her remote and a picture of a smiling couple, much like the others before them, appeared. Two men stood in front of a small white house. Both men were in their early thirties. On their right stood a boy of about seventeen, though he was as tall as the blond man, to their left was another boy, about fifteen with dark brown hair and eyes, and he had his arm around a third boy of about seven and a blonde girl stood in the middle of it all. An older man stood in the background looking on the family with a warm smile.

Garcia introduced the smiling family. "Meet the Campbells, partners Dean and Castiel, Dean's younger brother Sam, and their three kids Ben, Katelyn and Jacob."

"Why do we think these are the targets? There are more kids than we've seen in any of the other cases and the ages are all different. Aside from the first victims, none of the children have been older four or five." Rossi commented.

"True, but our unsub has already started the cycle again. He's already killed his first victim." The click of a button and the picture of a man appeared on the screen. He was older, late seventies maybe.

"This is Charles Everett. He'd recently been made partner at Dean's garage." Aaron explained. "We know our unsub is attacking homosexual couples with children. We know he has a religious psychosis and we know that the cycle is the key to these kills. That makes the Campbells the only viable suspect given the victim."

Reid's brows scrunched together. "If they already have a general profile on the unsub and they know who the next target is why do they need us?"

"The profile isn't complete. They've known this much since '09. They haven't been able to stop him yet and the Sioux Falls police department thinks we can help. While we're there we'll be serving as protection as well."

"We gotta work a case and babysit." Morgan asked incredulously.

"Essentially."

"Great."

Hotch only shrugged. "Wheels up in thirty."

"What gift has providence bestowed on man that is so dear to him as his children?"

~ Markus Tullious Cicero

On the plane…

"So, to know where and when the unsub is going to attack next, we need to get to know the family: their lives, and routines. Morgan, you and Reid take the first protective detail and start interviewing the family. Rossi, Prentiss and I will meet up with the local PD to set up surveillance. J.J. you'll need to prepare a statement for the local news stations. We've been able to keep this story from going national, but that won't last long if those reporters get all the details."

Everyone nodded in agreement and went back to examining the case files before Garcia's smiling face appeared on the numerous screens.

"Watcha got for us baby girl?"

"Well, sweet cheeks mostly a whole lot of nothing for the most part. Dean's got a couple of juvie records for shoplifting but nothing major. Cas seems clean as a whistle and nothing unusual about the oldest two kids."

"What about the younger ones?"

"Well, their parents' COD is a little wonky."

"Wonky can describe a lot of things baby girl."

"Yeah, how's simultaneous asphyxiation for you?"

"Simultaneous?"

"Yeah. We're talking down to the second as to when they died."

"How did the Campbells end up with the kids?" Hotch asked from his side of the plane

"Apparently they were friends with the Martins and were actually babysitting the kids at the time. When the courts found no living relatives, and saw the already happy family, they signed custody over to Dean and Castiel Campbell."

"Is it possible that this family was the target all along?" Rossi asked

Reid shook his head. "We haven't found a connection between the other victims so far and none of them have a connection with the Campbell's as far as we can tell."

Prentiss spoke up. "So, we're looking at a hate crime?"

"That's what it looks like." Hotch said quietly.

Silence fell.

Dean Winchester had done a lot of illegal shit in his time. He'd done a lot more immoral things than he'd done illegal, so it was completely reasonable to assume that having two feds sitting on his couch the day after a good friend's funeral was unnerving. Add to that the fact that the skinny one could give Sam a run for his money with the little boy lost thing, and you got a very uncomfortable Dean.

However, the local police chief had been out the day before to inform him that the FBI thought he and Cas were the next targets of a serial killer because obviously when a guy closes the gates of hell and kills the mother of all while still getting his kids to school on time, he needs a stalking serial killer to go after his friends too.

So, there were feds sitting on his couch waiting for Cas to bring in drinks and hoping that his kids were doing okay upstairs. When Cas did finally deign to enter, he came with an entire tray full of drinks. Dean thought he'd been watching way too much Donna Reed lately. Each fed inclined his head slightly as he was offered a drink.

The big guy, Morgan, spoke first. "What was your relationship with Mr. Everett?"

Dean smiled slightly at hearing Charlie addressed as Mr. Everett. The man had worked with him since he'd opened his own shop, and no one had ever called him anything but Charlie. "We were business partners."

"Was that a new development?" The scrawny guy, Reid, interjected.

"Kind of. Charlie and me worked together for about a year before I made him a legal partner. It was mostly just paperwork. He'd always been a partner as far as I was concerned." Dean felt Cas lean ever so slightly closer and he couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips. Cas was always right there.

"Mr. Campbell, how much did Sheriff Mills tell you about the case?"

"Not much. She said they think a psycho is looking at my family and that that's why Charlie died." A bitter edge had slipped into Dean's voice.

Both Reid and Morgan were prepared to give reassurances but Cas beat them to it looking Dean in the eye and speaking quietly but firmly. "This is not your fault, Dean. Do not blame yourself any more than you would blame me." Dean visibly flinched but nodded his ascent nonetheless. He looked back at the agents but was visibly blushing and avoiding eye contact.

Finally, after several uncomfortable seconds, Dean met Morgan's and then Reid's eyes and asked, "What are you gonna do about this?"

Morgan recognized the challenge in the man's tone. It wasn't the first time his team had been given a silent ultimatum by the target of something like this and Morgan knew exactly what he needed to say. "We're going to catch this guy."


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I know that everyone has been waiting in suspense _forever_ and I'm oh so sorry about that. This is all that i have edited at the moment. Do not fret the rest if forthcoming, I promise. If it is not up in by Monday evening, feel free to bombard me with messages until I post what I have edited or not. Big thanks to LeeMarieJack for giving me a kick in the ass. _Onward..._

* * *

Cas felt Dean stiffen at his side. "Big talk. You got any reason for me to believe that? As far as I can tell you people lose more psychos than you actually catch, so excuse me if I don't just believe that you're gonna swoop in and save the day." Dean hissed at the older man.

Reid watched the outburst without comment. Dean hadn't seemed very cooperative to begin with, but one false assurance and he was ready for battle. It was something Reid often associated with soldiers after they returned home. The slightest irritant would set off a storm of anger. Both he and Morgan were ready to attempt to fix the situation when there was a banging sound from the kitchen. Morgan was already drawing his gun when Dean waved him down.

Reid was surprised to see Dean forcefully rein in his anger before he called out. "Come on out, Sammy, Ben."

Only a moment later, two boys emerged from the kitchen looking sheepish. Reid recognized both from the picture. The taller obviously being Sam and the other Ben. Dean was standing now putting himself between his children and the agents.

"There some part of 'no eavesdropping you two didn't understand?" Dean practically growled.

"No, Sir." The boys responded together.

"You wanna tell me why you thought it'd be a good idea to do it anyway?" Ben just shrugged but Reid saw the same tensing of shoulders in Sam that he'd seen in Dean a moment before.

"We have a right to know, Dean. Charlie was important to us too. We loved him too. You can't just keep us out of the loop." Sam was yelling by the end of his tirade and breathing hard. He was obviously upset but it was apparently not the first time the brothers had had this argument because while Dean showed a moment of upset, he quickly reverted to annoyance again.

"You done with your tantrum, now?" He asked flatly trying to keep from yelling himself.

"It's not a tantrum, Dean. It's the truth and you know it." Sam hissed. Castiel rose then and went to stand beside Dean. He whispered into the other man's ear and Dean took a deep breath before nodding.

"We'll talk about this later, Sammy. I ant both of you upstairs until me or Cas come to get you, got it?"

Before Sam could let out another biting remark, Ben spoke up.

"Sam's right, Dad. We deserve to know."

Cas managed to respond before Dean snapped at the younger boy. "And you will know everything that you need to know when you need to know it." Sam's face contorted in annoyance at that statement.

"Fine, treat us like infants, but, Dean; just remember how this need to know crap worked out for Dad."

Dean sighed as both Sam and Ben stormed up the stairs. Morgan cleared his throat and Cas turned to face them as Dean headed toward the back door.

"Anger is part of the grieving process." Reid said and Cas smiled weakly at that.

"You'll have to excuse them. This has been… difficult for all of us."

Morgan nodded his understanding. "We understand that and if there's anything we can do for you, let us know." Cas nodded his thanks and there was a small pause before Morgan spoke up again. "Whenever you and your husband are ready, we need to ask you both some questions."

"What kind of questions." Castiel asked.

Reid cut in then to explain. "Just some questions about your routine, any particular religious affiliations, your places of work, and so on. It's part of what we call victimology-"

Sam's voice sounded from the staircase. "We know what that is, Agent. You find out everything you can about every victim and find the connections. It makes a giant web of information and at the center of that web is the motive for picking these victims.:

" I told you to go upstairs, Sammy." Dean said as he reentered the room.

"Too Bad." Sam retorted angrily before escorting himself to the couch and taking a seat.

Dean looked ready to haul the boy bodily from the room when Cas spoke up. "What do you need to know, specifically?" Dean huffed but joined his husband and brother on the couch.

"We need to focus on what you have in common with the other victims, because there are so many differences between your family and the others." Morgan explained.

Dean and Sam seemed to be nodding in unison and Castiel's brow was scrunched in thought. Dean spoke first. "Yeah, that was something id didn't really get. All of the others were a hell of a lot younger than us. They had two kids tops. I mean I get that we fit the whole gay thin but dude's been a hell of a lot more specific before now. It's not like we're the only gay guys in the area."

"We're not really sure why he chose your family. We think the unsub is getting closer to losing control and may be verging on a spree."

"Fan-friggin-tastic." Dean grumbled to himself. "Dude's been at it for six years and of course when he shows up here he has to lose that whole control freak thing and start getting sloppy."

"Dean, you're not helping." Sam said from his side of the couch.

"And you're supposed to be upstairs." Dean bit out before turning his glare on the two agents in his living room. "And why the hell do we need to tell you this shit? Shouldn't you have it on file or something."

"Our technical analyst is working on putting all of the information we have on the other victims into some semblance of order, and it will save time to ask you directly. At this point, every minute we can save could potentially help."

The wind had been sufficiently knocked out of Dean's sails and he glared once before nodding at the men giving his permission to ask.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you all for reading and putting up with me! Next part will focus on CM team, Sheriff Mills and Bobby.

Also, I have a couple of short interludes written in this verse. Wondering if anyone is interested in reading them.  
Thanks,  
~Azzy


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